Texas
Texas
Who may adopt?
An adult
Consent for adoption to be executed?
The birth mother may consent no sooner than 48 hours after the child's birth.
A man may sign an affidavit disclaiming any interest at any time before or after the birth of the child.
Revocation of consent?
An affidavit of relinquishment that fails to state that it is irrevocable can be revoked before the 11th day after signing.
On the 11th day, consent becomes irrevocable.
Any time before an order granting an adoption is filed, consent may be revoked by filing a signed revocation.
Who may place a child for adoption?
The child's natural or adoptive parent.
The child's legal guardian.
A licensed child-placing agency.
Advertising?
A person commits an offense if the person advertises in the public media that the person will place a child for adoption or will provide or obtain a child for adoption. This section does not apply to a licensed child-placing agency that is identified in the advertisement as a licensed child-placing agency.
''Public media'' includes newspapers or other periodicals, billboards or other signs, radio or television broadcasts, or communications through the use of the Internet or another public computer network.
Facilitators?
A person commits an offense if he or she:
- Has custody of a child younger than 18 years of age and offers to accept, agrees to accept, or accepts a thing of value for the delivery of the child to another for the purposes of adoption
- Offers to give, agrees to give, or gives a thing of value to another for acquiring a child for the purpose of adoption
It is an exception to the application of this section that the thing of value is:
- A fee or reimbursement paid to a child-placing agency as authorized by law
- A fee paid to an attorney, social worker, mental health professional, or physician for services rendered in the usual course of legal or medical practice or in providing adoption counseling
- A reimbursement of legal or medical expenses incurred by a person for the benefit of the child
- A necessary pregnancy-related expense paid by a child-placing agency for the benefit of the child's parent during the pregnancy or after the birth of the child as permitted by the minimum standards for child-placing agencies
Putative Father's Registry?
Yes. The putative father may file before the child's birth, but no later than the 31st day after the child's birth.
Registration requires a completed Bureau of Vital Statistics form, signed and acknowledged by the putative father.
Expenses?
Birth parent-
Legal and medical expenses in connection with birth and pregnancy.
Adoptive counseling services.
Department/Agency –
A licensed agency may charge a fee for services, including pre-adoptive home studies and post-placement reports.
Information provided in part by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.
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© Excerpted from Adoption.com Guide to US Infant Adoption, published by Adoption Media, LLC
Credits: Sandra Hanks Benoiton
